Colombia

We analyze the main foreign trade figures along with the perspectives of 65 key players in the cocoa sector in Colombia.

There is evidence of a major shift in bean export destinations from Europe to other countries since 2017, and although this change cannot be attributed solely to the regulation, lower prices imply revenues foregone by the sector of close to US $1.6 million in 2020 alone.

Increases in operational and marketing costs have been absorbed by cocoa and chocolate exporting companies and associations. Although there have been no price changes for producers, some buyers have stopped sourcing from the affected areas.

Despite rejections of orders in Europe due to Cd levels, cocoa has been able to be sold on the domestic market. In addition, the results show that, thanks to the blending, mapping of affected areas and change of markets by exporters of cocoa and cocoa products, the effects of the regulation have been mitigated.

If you would like to know in more detail how the actors in the chain in different regions of the country have responded, please visit: bit.ly/3Gd9lAf

Ecuador

We studied the main foreign trade figures, cocoa bean CD maps at the national level and the outlook of 38 key players in the cocoa sector in Ecuador.

To date, the main buyers continue to purchase cocoa in all regions of the country. There have been no changes in purchase prices, except in specific cases of cooperatives in regions such as Sucumbíos exporting specialty cocoa to European customers. In these cases, price reductions of up to 10% were recorded.

Growth in domestic production since 2019 has been directed mainly to the US and Southeast Asia. Cocoa bean exports to the EU have shown smaller reductions in this same period.

If you want to know in more detail how chain actors in different regions of the country have responded, please visit: https://bit.ly/3VQ82Me

Here, the dynamics of the cocoa sector in Ecuador and the existing perceptions on cadmium and Climate Change:  bit.ly/3ztLyYL 

Perú

We present the main foreign trade figures, the Cd maps in cocoa beans at the national level and the perspectives of 43 key players in the cocoa sector in Peru.

According to the distribution models of Cd in Peruvian cocoa https://www.cacaodiversity.org/es/index.php, 3.6% of the country’s cocoa could have Cd levels greater than 1.0 ppm and 41% levels between 0.5 and 1 ppm.

The problem has been concentrated in Piura, Amazonas and Tumbes, where an important part of the production presents levels greater than 1.0 ppm. Producers, cooperatives and exporters in these regions have suffered significant negative impacts, having to sell fine and aroma cocoa in conventional markets at much lower prices. 

Although it cannot be attributed solely to the regulation, since 2017 grain exports to Europe have fallen substantially. In 2020, the lower prices paid in the new destinations are equivalent to US$3.7 million in income foregone by exporters of cocoa beans and powder.

If you want to know in more detail how the actors in the chain have responded in different regions of the country, visit: https://bit.ly/3iDGnzM

Here, the analysis of the cocoa value chain in Peru: bit.ly/3fybQCv